


Wear Your Hearts on Your Sleeves

by Shinenteen



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 09:34:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13679013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shinenteen/pseuds/Shinenteen
Summary: Seungcheol doesn't know what love really is.





	Wear Your Hearts on Your Sleeves

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Valentines and Happy Birthday to ys, CARATS. :)

He is so stressed.  

Today was supposed to be an ordinary day.  He was supposed to go to the university first thing in the morning then eat lunch with his friends and play basketball in the afternoon if they have spare time.    
It is their routine.  But a stupid assignment is stressing the hell out of Seungcheol.  

Actually,  the project was easy.  It's way too easy that it becomes difficult. At least for him.   

As an English major,  they have to study William Shakespeare for their Literature subject.  And their professor, so much for being romantic, gave them an absurd task. 

It's this simple. You just have to define what is love in your own definition of it and write it in a heart then place it in your shoulder. He called it,  wear your hearts on your sleeves.  Literally. The project is due on the fourteenth of Febuary.  He has a week to do the project but how the hell should he define love if he hasn't been in a relationship ever since.  

Why does literature have to be this hard? 

What is love for him?  How the hell he should know?! 

"You look constipated"  Seungcheol doesn't need to look up to know who came.  He has that voice memorized like the back of his hands.  

"Good morning to you too, gyu" Seungcheol has his chin rested in his fisted left hand while playing his ballpen that seems to not know its purpose.    
Seungcheol isn't usually like that.  He knows everything.  He has an opinion about almost everything.  But not when it comes to a certain topic.  Love is a foreign vocabulary for him.   
He's not bitter or anything,  he just couldn't quite decipher the code hidden in that four letter word. It is too complicated for him. 

Of course he knows he loves his mother and father, The cooking of his grandmother and the endless bantering between him and his brother.  He also know he loves his friends in the most platonic way.  He knows people are born to love and to beloved.  He knew he loved his parents the moment he was born and he loves his friends as they grow together.  For him,  love is just like that. 

That's the trouble. How the hell he should put that into words. 

"The others are still not here?" The taller of them asked while fixing himself in his seat.  Seungcheol just nodded not really in the mood for talking. 

"hyung,  spill it" having to know older since he was 5, Mingyu knows that there is something bothering his hyung.  The older is just too transparent to read. 

"Gyu,  what is love?" He asked gathering all of his courage. The question caused Mingyu to laugh till his side hurts. 

"Seriously hyung?  That's your problem?" Mingyu can't help it but to laugh even harder. He can't believe his hyung is stressing himself over that matter. 

Seungcheol gave him 'the look' and Mingyu choked in his own saliva. He knew better to teaase the older when it is already under the stress. He just couldn't believe how simple his hyung's problem is.  Like it's not even worth a sweat.  Well,  that's for Mingyu.  

"Okay.  Chill hyung" he has his hands raised in the air to imply his surrender. His hyung is scary when annoyed so better shut up before he regret it later. 

"What is love for me? hmmm"  he put his his forefinger in his cheeks to indicate he is thinking about his answer toroughly while Seungcheol is patiently (and gullibly) waiting.  

"Love is..   I think it's when you want to know everything about them and study them like an open book?" Mingyu answered with uncertainty.  Seungcheol groaned.  What's with the interrogative tone? 

"What?  I want to know everything about Jeon and study him. Im sure I love him. " Mingyu reasoned out. Seungcheol just rolled his eyes. Well,  what can he do but to listen to someone with experience.  Which he, lacks. 

Wonwoo came after, sitting beside Mingyu ang kissing the latter's cheek.  Seungcheol just heaved a sigh.  

He knew that Mingyu would not give him any help. He scolded himself for bothering to ask.  

 

 

The  first time Seungcheol saw Jihoon was not like a cliché story that happened in the books nor movies.  It was far different from that.  It was exactly the third week after the class begun the new semester of his 2rd year in college. Jihoon is an irregular student so he joined Seungcheol's class fot just one general subject. At first,  Seungcheol doesn't really care about irregular students since he was so close to his blockmates plus he is a little socially awkward. . Well not until one faithful day.   
They got a long quiz that day and it's takings toll to everyone.  Who else loves Economics and Taxation anyway?  Not their class. Especially when they hate their professor to the core.  

The sitting is usually one sit apart tradition. Having a squad in a praticular section is just a norm so as expected,  he sat beside Jisoo and Jeonghan behind  leaving an extra seat beside him.  The exam finally started and the tension inside the classroom increased. 

Seungcheol was busy answering his own paper and thinking about the possible answers to fill his blank paper. Moments later, he was  starlted when the chair clunked a little too loud distructing him.  He looked at his right to see a small black haired guy sitting at the empty chair beside him. 

He is obviously late.  Seungcheol thought.  

The guy uttered sorry for making Seungcheol distracted and he just nodded and continued answering the goddamn questions he really has no idea about.  

"Uhm, excuse me" the guy whispered.  Seungcheol looked at him pointing at himself.  What was this guy doing?  They're surely dead if the professor see them talking.  It's strictly prohibited to talk during an exam.  It's like a general knowledge.  

"Do you have an extra pen?  I don't have one." The guy whispered again. Seungcheol looked at the guy to make sure he was serious and not really trying to crack him a joke. Like,  who the hell would go to class without a pen?  Especially during an important quiz?  He didn't voiced out his thoughts afraid they'll catch attention.  He just grab another pen at the top of his desk to give it to the impossible guy who was seated beside him.  

He continued answering in silence the questions he had spent time reviewing a night before.  Or at least the ones he had skimmed through the pages of his notes. 

Moments later, he felt a poked on his arms. He looked up to see the guy beaming him a little smile.    
"Thanks. " he just nodded not really knowing what to say.  He felt the forgotten guy stood up.  Seungcheol followed the latter's move and found him already handling his papers to their professor.    
Seungcheol didn't really mind. He thought the guy just didn't know the answers that's why he already gave up and decided to just hand his test paper.   
That mentality changed in the following meeting during that particular class. 

When their professor revealed their test results, Seungcheol was beyond amazed. The guy who he later knew of the name Lee Jihoon topped the test followed by Seungcheol as the second to the highest. 

Lee Jihoon just topped the exam despite being late and not having a pen. Seungcheol wowed at the thought.  

From then on, He started to notice Lee Jihoon. He asked his friends and classmates about the said guy to feed his curiousity.  

He later learned that Lee Jihoon is also in his second year of college and he is a music major.  He was taking an advance class in Seuncheol's section because he is working a part time job. He then knew that the latter originally lived at Busan but is currently living in a dorm. He also likes Winter.    
Well,  that was just Seungcheol feeding his curiosity.  Not a big deal.    
\------+------------

 

Seungcheol crumpled another paper and threw it to the bin that is just beside the sink.  He lost count of how many papers he had crumbled with his incoherent thoughts that night. 

He just couldn't think straight or there's no thoughts at all.  

He is in their kitchen that night trying to gather all his knowledge about a certain topic he knew nothing about.  

He sighed letting out all his frustrations that night.    
He already finished all of his assignments for the next week but he just couldn't work on the project. Sure it was just easy as one two three for some and he could always do it half-assed if he wanted to but Seungcheol wants the project to be something serious. You can tell Seungcheol is a bit of grade conscious but that is just him.  He just likes studying.  

He tapped his ballpen to the notebook endlesly hoping that he could come up with something useful to use until he heard heavy foot steps coming in his front door.  

"Hyung,  you're still awake? " Hansol questioned him and did another yawn.  Seungcheol just nodded helplessly 

Hansol is Seungcheol's roommate.  The former moved in Seungcheol's apartment when he started college which was just that year. At first, Seungcheol was living alone in his apartment that his parents gifted him when he graduated highschool but Hansol is a family friend so he just let him stay with him in his roof.  

"I just have to finish this project" he replied and placed the pen above his lips making a pout.  It is his mannerism when he's frustrated.  

"Okay. Just don't push yourself too much hyung." Hansol started to march his way to his own bedroom that used to be a guess room.  

"Hansol wait. " Hansol turned around to face his hyung.  

"Yes hyung?" 

"Ahmm.  Can I ask you a question? " Seungcheol rubbed his brows not really knowing how should he ask the question that's been bothering him all day. 

"You just did,  hyung.  What is it? " Hansol chukled a bit before leaning in his door frame waiting for Seungcheol's question to shoot.  

"Ahmm,  what is ...you know,  love?  Ah.  It's not for me.  It's for a friend.  Yes.  For a friend. " Seungcheol waved his hands in front of him to indicate his claim which is futile cause Hansol knewbthe other is just making excuses. He sounds defensive. 

"Love is when you are smiling out of the blue because you thought of them." Seungcheol frowned.  Smiling out of the blue because you thought of them?  Something that a crazy person would do.  He thought.  He knew he was not gonna get something from his favorite dongsaeng.  How would Seungcheol know?  Hansol is a happy person. He smiles and laughs at almost everything.

 "Why hyung,  are you inlove? " Hansol gave him a teasing stare.  Seungcheol is wrong.   he did get something.  A question and a little tease.  

"No.  Go to your room. Goodnight Sol. " he shooed Hansol out of his hair.  No matter how much he likes Hansol,  sometimes,  he wanted to kick him out because the kid is just so mischievous and stubborn.  

 

Seungcheol is waiting for Jeonghan and Jisoo so they can hang out at the park and play together.  That's their routine every Sunday to relieve their College stress.

After minutes of waiting,  the two finally came hand in hand.  

"Can we eat first?  I didn't eat lunch" Jeonghan pointed at the near fast food on the area.  Jisoo scolded the younger for skipping lunch and the necessity of eating on time in which just earned an eye roll from Seungcheol.  They banter like a married couple.  

They ate their foods while chatting loudly about absurd things that got them laughing,  earning an occasional states from the other customer of the fast food.  But they don't really care.  As long as they're having a good time and not causing harm to anybody.  

"That.  Also,  in high school, do you remember our biology class when we did dissection? " Jisoo asked the two of them.  They were classmates before when they were still in high school but they weren't that close.  They were barely throwing each other's glances before.  Except Jisoo and jeonghan who are really close since the very beginning. 

"Yes! That was fucking hilarious when Kwanghee cried because the frog was alive and jumping. That's the best, right Cheol?" Jeonghan excitedly reminisce as he wipe the sidelines of his eyes from too much laughing.  Seungcheol nods,  throwing his head back because of too much laughing. Of course he remembered it.  Since that incident,  Kwanghee was branded as the frog prince in the whole school.    
Frog.  

A random memory suddenly crossed his mind.    
He remembered strolling their school garden so he could review in peace for his linguistic subject.  He was quietly reviewing his IPA because he have already forgotten some of it when he heard a soft thud somewhere followed by angry yelling.  Being a curious man he was,  he stood up to look at where the noise was coming from.  

He didn't expect to see his irregular classmate Lee Jihoon sitting under the big Narra tree, clutching his phone in his ears yelling. His guitar and his notes are lying flat on the ground beside him.  

"DON'T WAIT FOR ME TO GET THERE OR YOU'LL BE DEAD.  JUST WAIT. " he yelled in the other line.  Then a little later , Jihoon is grinning.  This guy yells like a thunder.  He thought.  

"Good.  Bye"  his classmate hanged up the phone and tossed it in his notes while still grinning.  

"WHAT THE,  AHH! "  seungcheol got a real shock when the smaller screamed in a high octave and standing up in a rush. He carefully but hurriedly got his things struggling to keep all of them to his small frame.  

He look at what made Jihoon panic. He started laughing out loud later when he saw why. .  

"What are you doing here?  Are you laughing at me? " the midget asked when he heard the older.  

Srungcheol laughed louder causing him to furrow his brows.  

He was freaking out because of some frog in the corner looking at him.  Who would have thought that after threatening whoever was on the other line just a moment ago,  he'll be screaming out loud just because he saw a frog.  It was hilarious.  

When Seungcheol finished laughing,  he couldn't see the subject of his entertainment in the area.  

Seungcheol smiled then laugh again when he remembered that incident, earning an accusing stare from his friends inside the fast food place because they already stopped laughing a minute ago.  

A smug smile never left Seungcheol's lips that day.    
\-----

Seungcheol and his friends is eating at the mall after playing in the arcade for hours.  It's the first time in that week that they had a breahter  since it's a midterm week.  Hell day to e a little more dramatic.  

"I heard you're flirting with someone hyung" Mingyu began.  It's the first thing that Seungcheol heard in their table the moment he sat down to put down their orders.  

"Ohhh. Jun hyung has another again" Hansol pinched Seungkwan's cheeks causing him to be hit in his left arm. 

"It's not flirting you dumbass.  It's called loving" Jun sneered at Mingyu which earned a laugh from Jisoo. 

"How do you know you love him?" Chan entered the conversation innocently. 

"Because I want to stare at him all the time and I feel the whole damn zoo in my stomach when he's near me" Jun answered a little too proud.  Is that another one in his bag of pick up lines?

"Aren't you just constipated? " Soonyoung butted in earning a huge laugh in the table and an annoyed Junhui in a picture.  

 

 

The first time Seungcheol felt giddy around somebody was when he hanged out with Seungkwan in their university Cafeteria. 

 

When he walked to where Seungkwan was sitting,  he didn't expect to see Jihoon  there too sitting beside Seungkwan. He smiled awkwardly causing Jihoon to roll his eyes on him. The younger sure hold a grudge. 

After the frog incident,  Seungcheol would always receive a glare from Jihoon whenever they cross paths and even in their class. Jihoon obviously held a grudge against him which weirdly,  Seungcheol finds cute. 

"He is your hyung? " Jihoon asked Seungkwan who excitedly pulled Seungcheol to sit worh them.  

"Yep. He is Seungcheol hyung,  my favorite hyung I was talking about.  He writes songs too. " Jihoon threw him a look of really,  as if mocking him.   

"We're classmates" Seungcheol stated which made Seungkwan yell 'daebak' and a 'tch' from Jihoon.  

"Wait. Please talk to him hyung,  I'll just empty my bladder." Seungkwan stood up and run to the comfort room.  Now they're alone.  

"So you know Seungkwan" Seungcheol tried to break the ice. He nust hope it will melt.  

"We're on the same music club.  What do you care?

" Seungcheol snorted at the reply. Some attitude showing in there.  But Instead of getting offended,  Seungcheol lowered his gaze to meet the younger's eye.  

"Look.  I'm sorry I laughed at you the other week while you were in your frog misery. If that's the reason why you're so mad at me, I swear I didn't mean to make fun of you.  I just find it cute that's why I laughed that hard" Seungcheol tried hard to sound sincere which he really is. 

"But you still laughed" Jihoon reasoned out.  

"That's why I'm saying sorry.  What can I do to make up to you?" Seungcheol pouted a little.  He is just like that.  He didn't mean to act cute in front if Jihoon.  He, doesn't even like being cute.    
Jihoon was startled by the action but that doesn't mean he didn't find the older adorable in that state.  

"Okay.  Just buy me a coffee" Jihoon said flatly. 

"Really? Okay. I'll buy you one.  You want the coffee now?" Seungcheol excitedly exlaimed.  He didn't really know why he is acting like that.  He's not aware that he looks like a cute puppy in front of Jihoon.  The latter tried hard to suppress a blush.  

"You can buy me one some other time.  I still have a drink" Jihoon pointed at his coffee which is on top of their table. 

"Okay.  Friends? " Seungcheol asked offering a handshake.  He was always excited to have a new friend that he feel comfortable with.  He's a little socially awkward if some forget. That's just his nature.  

"Friends" Jihoon shook his hands beaming him a bright smile.  

Seungcheol felt something weird but good crossed his stomach for the first time in his life when he saw the smile in the younger's face.  

He felt a weird thug in the strings of his heart but he just let all of that slip. All he know is that he's happy to have Jihoon as a friend.  

Those weird but good feelings greeted Cheol for the first time and it happened a year ago when they started being friends.    
\---------

 

After their squad's exhausting plays at the mall, they all part their own ways.  Except for Seungcheol. He doesn't feel like going home just yet so he decided to crash into Soonyoung's and Chan's shared dorm room.  

 

"Cheol Hyung, do you think Jun hyung is really in love with Myungho hyung?" Chan joined him at the sofa while he's watching tv.  

"Wow Chan,  you're really asking that to hyung? Cheol hyung is innocent when it comes to that kind of topic" Soonyoung yelled while making sandwhich at the table.  

"Fuck you. " Cheol snapped earning a laugh. Seungcheol being clueless when it comes to that certain topic is like a general information among his friends.  

"Why do you ask? " Seungcheol questioned Chan who rested hi's head on the arm of the couch.  

"Myungho hyung is my friend.  I just don't want him to be hurt by Jun hyung" Chan answered and Seungcheol moved to ruffle the younger's hair.  He wish he could say something but he can't.

 Sometimes he wonders why he know nothing about romance when everybody else does.  He's just too proud of Chan's way of thinking.  He's growing up well. 

"Soonyoungie hyung,  how 'bout you? How did you know you love Seokmin hyung?" It seems like Chan is really curious about the topic . Seungcheol thought.  

"Me? Because he is sexy? " Soonyoung joked and Chan pouted saying he is serious. 

"I don't really know Chan.  I just know that I do.  I want to be with him 24/7 and I can't stand the thought of him with someone else. Like,  what's the point of living when he's not with me?" Soonyoung stopped cutting tomato to say those corny sentences.  Seungcheol wanted to puked at the answer.  

"You're aware you're kinda corny,  aren't you? " Seungcheol teased and Chan just laughed leaving Soonyoung denying Seungcheol a sandwhich.  

 

Seungcheol and Jihoon spent their free time together despite being formally being friends after just a week.

After being shocked and amazed at the irregular student who's name is Lee Jihoon and befriending him,  Seungcheol started to notice every move that the younger is eliciting. Especially when they started to making a collaborative song. 

They gotten more close and close that Jihoon has become a part of their little squad.  He still feel the weird thing in his stomach whenever the younger beamed him a smile but he don't know what that means so he just shook it off. 

After the semester, Jihoon is no longer his classmate but that doesn't stop them from seeing each other often.  Well,  not until a certain Kang Taejun enter the picture. 

Seungcheol was very busy doing his Annotative Bibliography for their thesis. Their professor required them to have fifty citations from different sources and it will be pass after just a week.  It's a tough work for them when it's just the three of them who'll work in their thesis.  That requires a a lot of readings that made him so busy considering the semester just started. 

He didn't contact Jihoon and almost all of his friends or play with them for a week.  Well, Except for Jisoo and Jeonghan who are his thesis partners. 

It's  a rough week for the three of them and for their whole section that it was like breathing again when they finally finished abd passed their papers.  

The first person that Seungcheol had contacted is Jihoon but the latter's phone was just ringing and ringing. He called Jihoon a number of times but there's still no answer.  So he just went to his friends who were already at the cafeteria waiting.    
Seungcheol sat beside Soonyoung when he arrived.  

They were laughing hard at Seokmin's lame joke when his eyes caught a sight.  

"Is that Jihoon?" Seungcheol asked causing a lot of heads to turn at where he was looking.   
Jihoon is laughing at someone in different table not too far from them. 

"Oh, he's with Taejun hyung" Seungkwan stated which answers Seungcheol's question regarding who was the guy who held his Jihoonie's hand.

"Taejun? " Seungcheol. Can't help but ask.  Well,  like a person he's always been,  he was just curious.  

"Taejun hyung is a member of our club. Jihoon hyung is working with him in the rap part of the song he's currently making" Seokmin answered.  Rap part?  Seungcheol questioned himself.  

He swallowed hard not really understanding what's been happening. It was always been him.  After being friends with Jihoon for months, it was always him whom Jihoon went to when it comes to almost everything.  Especially when it comes to raps.    
Well,  i guess everything really change.  He thought to himself. He just did not expect that the change wil come that fast. 

He again felt a little thug in the strings of his chest.  But it's not the usual pinch to his heart.  It's something painful.  But he doesn't really know.  

"Hyung,  are you okay?" He jumped a little when Hansol aksed him a question. Seungcheol just nodded to indicate  he is which the table highly doubted. 

He didn't see nor speak to Jihoon for weeks after that and he doesn't really know why in the first place.    
\-----------------

 

Seungcheol hanged the phone up.  He just finished talking to Jihoon in the other line. 

He lied in his bed on all fours not really know what he's going to do for the day since he don't have any classes. 

It's Thursday.  Usually,  he would go to Jihoon's House to hang out or make a  song with the younger but Jihoon is in Busan right now because his aunt just came back from Canada. 

Seungcheol heaved a sigh.  He wondered his eyes around his spacious room to find anything worth his sweat.  His eyes landed in his study table noticing  his notes scattered around.  His gaze lingered longer on the red colored paper just above his laptop.  

He immediately got up.  

He forgot about the project that is due on the upcoming Tuesday.  He got a lot in mind so he forgot about their presentstion. He only has days for the presentation and yet,  he still ain't got any idea what to write in his heart. 

He fished for his phone and typed to Google's search bar.  When he is feeling hopeless, google i usually a good company. 

What is love?  He searched. 

There's a thousand of results came and none really caught his attention because most of the results are metaphorical.  Like,  love is blind.  Love is like a rosary;  full of mystery.  Love is a sun that blah blah blah.  

He helplessly scroll down for more answers. Hoping for something that will really help him.  But there's none. He was about to give up finding something in Google when he read something. 

Love is wanting to be with that person despite knowing they're not perfect.

He smiled. He liked the definition but it's kinda vague for him. So he sighed and close the application.  Maybe love is getting some sleep.  He thought.  

 

 

Seungcheol was beyond shock when he received Jihoon's text one morning.  The message contained a simple text saying 'help" so,  Seungcheol rushed into Jihoon's house.  

They haven't been talking in weeks since they are both busy;  Jihoon in whatever he was doing and Seungcheol avoiding Jihoon. He didn't even know why he has to.  

He entered the front door carefully.  Jihoon lives alone and Seungcheol has no clue where his parents are but he didn't dare ask. That's too personal.  

"Jihoon" he called but no one anwered him.  He walked inside the house. The place is clean but it feels lonely,. He doesn't know why. The ambiance inside the place has always been like that.  

He heard a sniff coming from a room beside Jihoon's studio.  Seungcheol had never been into Jihoon's room.  The only place he's been inside the house was the salas and the studio. So he hesitated a little to enter the room and check on Jihoon.    
it took him all of his courage to turn the knob and open the room.  Seungcheol isn't the type of nosy.  He's a curious cat but he do know when to stop.  

"Jihoon? " he called again for the second time but still no one replied. 

He looked around the messy room.  The comforter is halted and the pillows are scattered on the wooden floor. The only room is also dim , the bed lamp being the only one that is lighting up the whole room.  There's a lot of papers everywhere and a shattered glass beside the bed.  

"Jihoon! " Seungcheol rushed at Jihoon when he found the small guy trying to fit himself in the cormer of the room hugging his knees.  

When he started to notice Jihoon,  Seungcheol wondered why the former always wear jeans even when it's hot amd they're at his house.  He has never really questioned the younger why.  He thought he was just not used wearing shorts or pedals.  Not until today.  

Jihoon is wearing a boxers shorts revealing his milky white tighs with slashed of fresh wounds all over and a number of vertical and horizontal scarsnhugging himself while bawling his eyes out.

There are tiny pieces of sharp fragments of a glass beside him.  

Seungcheol felt a painful punch in his heart.  He can't stand what he is seeing.  He enveloped the younger in his arms feeling his own tears build up.  

"Cheol." Jihoon sobs in his shoulder.  He hugged him tigher before planting a kiss in Jihoon's crown assuring him of the uncertainty.  

"I'm here. " He say in between the hugs.    
He saw another side of Jihoon.  His weak and fragile side.  He isn't used to see the younger this weak. He saw Jihoon got mad and laugh his heart out but it was his first time seeing the younger cry.    
He knew he was not supposed to think this way but  Jihoon became more beautiful in his eyes. Seungcheol didn't know wjy he's having thoughts like that,  all he wanted to do is hug Jihoon tight.  

How can a broken glass be this beautiful?  He found himself asking.    
\----------

 

"Hyung,  I noticed that you've been a little stressed these days" Seokmin asked Seungcheol.  The gang is in his apartment except for Jihoon, Jisoo and Jeonghan.  Jihoon is still in Busan.  He'll be back on Wednesday.  As for the two missing eggs, they are the ones who are. buying them foodsn n the nearby store outside.  

"It's just acads"  he answered yawning.  It's already Friday and he Still haven't have an idea what to present in his 'Wear Your heart' Project. 

"Give yourself a break hyung. " Jun answered cooly while munching his chips and hugging Myungho from behind.  

The younger Chinese,  being Jun's boyfriend is now a part of the squad.

"Is that the love love thingy you asked me last week?" Mingyu being as nosy as ever butted in the conversation.  

"Hyung,  I thought it's for a friend?" Hansol inquired joining Mingyu.  The others got their ears focus on the sudden topic.    
"It is. " he answered. 

"What is hyung's problem?" Seungkwan asked that made the others second the motion. 

"It's nothing. " He answered and went back on scribbling nonsense fragments in my notes.  

"He's asking me what love is." Mingyu proudly brag that He is the one Seungcheol got to asked first. 

"Shouldn't you be asking Jihoon?  Or yourself? Wonwoo joined in.  

Seungcheol just shrugged.  He was sure he tried asking himself a couple of times but his attempts always end up futile.  

"Love is wanting that person to be happy at all costs. Right, Soonie?" Seungcheol and half of the gang almost left the room when Seokmin pecked Soonyoung's lips.  And Seugcheol couldn't blame them because he wants to do the same thing. 

 

 

After the day where he saw Jihoon crying alone in his room that night,  he just let Jihoon cry while holding him in his arms,  Jihoon fell asleep that day and Seungcheol did not left him alone.  He waited for Jihoon to wake up and they had a long deep talk.  

"You can go home,  Cheol.  I'm fine. " he remembered Jihoon saying the first thing when he woke up. 

"You're not fine.  I'm not leaving you in that. " Seungcheol argued. Jihoon just stayed silent because he knew that he won't win to the older .

"It's not okay Ji.  If it is,  you'll not gonna slash your flesh just to feel alive. " Seungcheol added.  

"What do you care?  Stop acting like you really care about me cause we know you don't!  Leave me alone like what everyone else is doing. " Shock is considered as an understatement to described Seungcheol when Jihoon snapped at him.  He's not expecting that. 

"You already did when you shut me up the whole week. Just leave me alone. " Jihoon's voice is cold and angry.  Seungcheol felt a dagger pinned in his chest.  He felt cold like a bucket of cold water just has been poured in his head.  He was one of the reason Jihoon is like this now.  He's at fault. 

"I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to shut you up.  I thought you're just busy and all and you're fine with Taejun. " Jihoon did not expect Seungcheol to braced him in a tight hug and reassuring shushes. 

"I'm never gonna do that again.  Promise I'll never leave your side.  No matter what.  I'm here. " Jihoon cried again that night hearing Seungcheol's promises.  

Seungcheol thought he already knew Jihoon after just a month of becoming his friend.  But he was wrong.  That day,  he learned a lot about Jihoon. Why the younger lived alone, Where his parents are, and  why  he cuts and slashes his legs leaving it wounded.  

Jihoon is a lost soul.  

His parents are at Busan which he originally live.  His parents expects a lot of him for the reason of he is the only son of the two famous music expert under respected pseudonyms.  He's been living a life full of pressure and expectations. 

At first,  Seungcheol just see the younger as the feisty and smart irregular student they got in their class.  But he saw that Jihoon is more than that.    
After that day,  they gotten close more than ever. When they have no classes,  they'll hang out together and compose song. They'll watch movies and hug when it's cold.  it's normal.  They're friends.    
"You look funny" Jihoon burst out laughing after he painted Seungcheol's face silly drawings using the marker.  

They are at Jihoon's place watching split but that was a minute ago before Cheol fell asleep and Jihoon saw a marker.  

If this was another of Seungcheol's friends prank,  they will be a dead meat by now.  But it was Jihoon.  And Jihoon is is too precious to be a dead meat in Seungcheol's hand.  

"Really?  Give me. " He asked for the marker which Jihoon used to make avenge but Jihoon hid it in his back causing Seuncheol to chase for it so they end up running while laughing their asses off.  

Seungcheol never liked to look silly.  He always wanted to look cool and manly because that is just him. He doesn't like being make fun and being laughed at.  He never liked to look funny in every aspect of his life. But with Jihoon,  painting his face silly drawings and being laughed at while being called funny names,  Seungcheol got no idea why he doesn't mind.  All he knows is that,  Jihoon's laughter is gold and it's okay to look funny if he'll hear it everyday.    
\-----------------

 

Seungcheol made his way to exit his Applied Linguistics class with Jeonghan and Jisoo following behind.  Being friends with the two of them is sometimes a disadvantage because he's often the third wheel.  Jisoo said he likes Jeonghan and Jeonghan also has feelings for Jisoo.  

Seungcheol just couldn't tell why they're still not together but what can he do?  As long as his friends are happy and so will he.  

"Cheol, aren't you coming with us?" Jisoo asked him when the two is about to turn their way left.    
Seungcheol heaved a humogonous sigh.

He really wanted to hang out with them and his friends but he still haven't know what to do in his presentation that causes him stress in the entire week.  

It's Saturday,  3 days before the presentation and he still don't have a clue.  

"But Wonwoo and the rest of the gang is waiting for you there. " Jeonghan can't believe Seungcheol will miss their weekly hang out for whatever reason he got.  

It's their friendship tradition to have a weekly hang out to catch up to what other's are up to.  They're not in the same ages so their schedule rarely meet that's why Seungcheol made a weekly hang out so they could be complete even in a day.  

"Do you two already have a presentation for Tuesday? " seungcheol is becoming hopeless.  If he failed the presentation,  he would get a grade of 2.0 and being a GC he is,  he doesn't like the idea.  

"What? We do. That's just a easy bitsy tasks.  Doesn't break a sweat. " Jisoo shrugged it like it's  a piece of cake.  

Seungcheol let out a sigh.  Sure it would bebeasy for the both of them cause they are not Seungcheol who doesn't have any romantic experience...that he's aware of.  

"You're stressing yourself over that?" Jeonghan gasped in a very dramatic manner.  Seungcheol just rolled hos eye's to his friends reaction.  

"Yeah. I really have a lot of idea about Love.  Im an expert,  remember?" Seungcheol hinted sarcasm in his words.  

"You're going to be fine Seungcheol.  Trust us.  And oh,  love is trust and you love us.  Come on,  we're going to be late" jeonghan added after grabbing Seungcheol to walk with them. He'll really never will take no for an answer. 

When they reached then café that has become their permanent hangout place,  the other's are all complete having loud noises and laughs in between their talks. Except for Jihoon.  He is still in Busan.  

"I can't believe Seungcheol has actually planned to ditch us" Jeonghan exclaimed the moment he is seated beside Jisoo and Chan which drew the group's attention to him. 

"But hyung is really stressed out lately.  He must have feel tired.  Right hyung? " Hansol counterargued which made Seungcheol smile. That's why his favorite dongsaeng is Hansol.  

"Is this still all about your  ' what is love' problem that you've ask me last week? And we have discussed the yesterday?" Seungcheol cursed Mingyu under his breath. There's really no need to mention that.  He thought.  Especially when the gang is complete. 

"It's for your friend, right? Why are you so pressed? " Hansol asked again. 

"Don't mind me guys,  I'm fine" Seungcheol sipped on his latté trying to shrug the topic off.  Here they go again. 

"Yeah right.  So naive and fine.  Poor Ji" Jun uttered which caused Seungcheol to cease his forehead in confusion.  What's Jihoon gotta do with his problem?  He asked himself.    
"Why don't you ask Jihoonie. You're always on the phone talking to him every night." Soonyoung suggested.  Maybe that's what Jun meant.  He consoled his confused self.    
"Yeah.  So what's the real score between you and Jisoo?  You thought i wouldn't notice you're getting too close? " Seungcheol averted the topic cause it's making him uncomfortable.  Romance is definitely not his genre.  

"So how have you been? " Seungcheol ceased his forehead when Jihoon asked him that in the other line. Jihoon is still in Busan,  he'll go back to Seoul on Wednesday but that is not a hindrance for both of them to have their usual night talks.  

"Jihoon.  We're literally talking every night. " Seungcheol let out a chuckle.  He heard a push of air in the other line.  

"Mingyu said you've been stressed lately.  You can tell me, you know" Jihoon's voice is soothing despite being solemnly uttered. 

Seungcheol got up in his bed and made his way to his room's huge window.  He saw the empty street with just lamps lighting it helping the moon ans the stars.  

Being friends for a year,  Jihoon and Seungcheol have been very open to each other.  They share each others burden,  they share each other's anxiety and all.  Jihoon has always been so honest around him so he felt a guilt crept into his skin when Jihoon uttered his final words.  

" It's my project.  We have to present what love is in our own definition and you know I don't know a thing about  it"  Seungcheol's voice is honest and fragile.  It's already Monday and he still haven't have any idea where to begin.  Their presentation is due tomorrow but it seems like he'll fail.  He only heard long silence in the other line and then followed by a sigh.  

"You know Cheol,  you don't really have to put words to define what love is. You should be feeling it, right?  So why are you stressing yourself overthinking its meaning when you can just listen to what's burried beneath? " Seungcheol was a little confused about Jihoon's rhetorical questions.  Sometimes Jihoon is just too deep.  

"Jihoon i don't really understand,  you know. " Seungcheol chuckled a bit.  He does understand a fragment of it but not the whole semantics.  

"Seuncgcheol, to put it simple, sometimes love is just a person and a heartbeat. " Jihoon  said flat but full of emotion.  Seungcheol is sure he is a year ahead of Jihoon but when it comes to maturity,  Jihoon seems to be ahead of him.  

"The presentation is already  tomorrow. " Seungcheol said in a light headed voice before yawning.  It's past midnight anyway.  

"Trust me , Cheol.  You're going to do great. " He heard Jihoon's assurance and despite not fully understanding what Jihoon said earlier,  his feelings suddenly becomes light and hopes that the latter is right.  He believes Jihoon.  That,  he knew.  After all,  he trusts Jihoon with his all.  

Seungcheol fell asleep that night while talking to Jihoon in the other line and Jihoon just chukled.  
When he woke up,  he read Jihoons text saying  
 'good luck.  You can do it'.  

Seungcheol blinked his eyes.  Reading Jihoon's message brought him in a bubble full of Epiphanies.  
Suddenly,  all of it made sense to him.    
Love is when you want to know everything about him.    
Love is when you're smiling out of the blue because you thought of him.   
Love is when all you wanted to do is stare at them.  Love is feeling butterflies when you're sitting beside him.   
Love is wanting to be with him all the time. Love is when you can't stand a sight or thought of him with someone else.  
Love is accepting that person despite knowing they're not perfect.  
Love is wanting that person to be happy at all costs.  
Love is trust.   
Love is a person and a heartbeat. 

Jihoon is right.  It's not about words.  All of it is an act of feeling.  You have to feel it.    
Seungcheol couldn't believe himself. He couldn't believe he missed all of it.  He couldn't believe everything he's been looking for is already in front of him. 

He smiled to himself.  

He finally knows what love is.  

\------

Seungcheol sat up in his chair.  His cold sweats are starting to form in the back of his head and his forehead.  He's beyond nervous.  Their professor is picking random numbers to be called for the presentation. He looked at the rose quartz and serenity heart shaped paper he hid under his notebook. 

"You okay? " Jisoo who is sitting beside him in the second row asked Seungcheol cause the latter is sweating alot.  

"Im fine. " He smiled to himself.  He could do it.  He should do it.  He thought convincing himself it is all fine.  

"Number 17" their professor called after his one classmate performed. He flinch.  

"17" his professor called again.    
Seungcheol shut his eyes praying to all saints and gods he knew of before standing up to make his way at the center of the room.  

"Go Seungcheol" he heard Jeonghan who is sitting beside Jisoo on the same row cheered him up. 

"You may begin. " his professor gestured him to begin his presentation which earned a loud thumping of his heart .

"Trust me , Cheol.  You're going to do great. "  He remembered what Jihoon said a night ago.    
Yeah I can do it.  He thought. 

Seungcheol let out a huge amount of air that filled his lungs before putting his beautifully designed heart to his right shoulder.  The project is called wear your hearts on your sleeves for a reason. 

 

"Love is the most used and abused word in the human dictionary.  For some,  love is blind,  love is like a rosary that is full of mystery, love is gold.  I remember I once read a facebook status that says love is the key to success." He heard his classmates laugh at his introduction.  

 

"But someone told me that love,  true love doesn't really need a definition.  No dictionary could do justice what love really is.  You should not be thinking about it.  You should feel it. Being asked what love is was a difficult question for me. For those who know me,  you're all aware that I am not really interested in romance.  So,  I don't really have a clue what to do in this presentation so I have to ask my friends and even google , yahoo and naver the answer to that very impossible question. What really is love? One of my friend said love is when all you want to do is stare at them and see them happy 24/7. I also heard that you'll know you love a person when you see that they're beautiful in their imperfections.  But there's is this vague answer that made all other answers connect to me.  An amazing guy said to me that sometimes,  love is just a person and a heartbeat." Seungcheol flashed his infamous gummy smile in the whole class.  They seem to be engrossed to what he is saying.  He stepped forward and continued his speech.    
"So what is love for me? This activity taught me a lot of things and brought me to an important realization. Out of all answers that have been threw on me,  I realized one thing.  Love doesn't really have a concrete definition.  It varies in every person who feel it and for me?  I dont need adjectives and a whole paragraph to define it." Seungcheol flipped the heart that is glued to his sleeve revealing a picture and a name under it of someone so dear to him.  

" For me,  Love is simply Lee Jihoon."  After uttering his closing sentence,  he heard the whole class clapped their hearts out and a smile never left Seungcheol's face after it.  

Little did Seungcheol know,  Jeonghan is filming him while he was delivering his speech while grinning from ear to ear.   
\------  
Seungcheol went home after a long day of spending it in school.  Now that he already finished the presentation,  he is now finally stress free,  well,  not really when he still have his thesis to work on but at least he knew he could manage that.  

He pressed the lock in the knob and turned it so it would open.  He entered his apartment and was about to retreat to his room when he heard someone.

"I don't really like attention, you know" he looked at where the voice was coming from.  In the couch,  there's Jihoon who's sitting prettily. 

"Ji?  You came. I thought you'll come back tomorrow? " Seungcheol walked to the younger after throwing his bag on the floor.  

"That's the original plan until a certain someone confessed his love for me in his class" Jihoon said nonchalantly

 The older's brow creased in confusion. 

"Here.  " Jihoon pointed at his phone which is resting in his coffee table.  Seungcheol sat on the sofa not really knowing what to do.  

"Watch here. " the younger handed him his phone and played the video which contains what had happened just a few hours ago.   
What.  .why.. Wh huh?  That's seungcheol's incoherent thoughts speaking. 

"Took you long enough" Jihoon said.  His arms are crossed in his chest.    
When Seungcheol absorbed what's happening,  he panicked. He knows he fucked up their friendship 

"Jihoon I... I... I don't really know.  Please dont be angry at me.... I'll understand if you will be feeling awkward around me.. But... Please don't stay away.. I just..... I----" Seungcheol was shutted up by the sweet and soft lips of the younger.  His eyes dilated in shock.  

"I love you too, silly.  Since day one.  " Jihoon caresses his face when he pulled out.  Jihoon has to blink a little not really believing what's happening. 

"Really?" Seungcheol asked like an excited puppy.  Jihoon nodded and before he knew it,  Seungcheol is hugging him.  

"I should thank Jeonghan hyung for this.  " Jihoon uttered quietly but Seungcheol heard it clearly.  

"That Yoon Jeonghan. I'll kill him" Jihoon just chuckled in Seungcheol's mumbling. 

 

They attend school the day after and to Seungcheol's surprise,  the video has already gone viral and it's still spreading courtesy of his friends. As everyone knows,  he is new to romance and he used to hate the idea of it.  But not anymore he needed to admit. It's just that there's really no need for the whole university to gush over his not really planned confession.  

He held his head down low because he is so embarrassed to death until he felt a pair of arms enveloping him despite it's tiny physique.  

"It's okay Cheol.  Just don't mind them.  " He heard Jihoon said while he's still hiding his face tobthe latters neck. They came to tje university together but Seungcheol was greeted by the whole population. 

"They're looking" Seungcheol didn't budge.  He's really shying the attention that is too much for him.  He peeked at Jihoon's shoulder a little but ducked down after seconds when he discovered that there are some who are still looking at him.  He appreciate the attention but being called cute and Mr.  Dimple guy by the whole college population is beyond his gut.  

"Such a baby.  But you're my baby.  " Jihoon said making Seungcheol hide his head deeper in Jihoon's shoulder.  Then younger couldn't blame the crowd.  His boyfriend is just too cute and adorable. 

"Awww Baby hyungie" they suddenly heard Seungkwan's voice followed by the familiar laugh of the whole gang.  They're making fun of Seungcheol's misery.  They're too amused to see this new side of their hyung. Which is rare.  

"Fuck you. " Seungcheol said still not looking up earning another laugh from his friends. 

"Stop it guys.  Look at me baby. " Jihoon ordered Seungcheol while the whole squad is still retreating at Seungcheol's embarrassed state. Seungcheol finally look up to see Jihoon.  His face is flushed because of the endearment. 

"Cheol you're blushing.  Yuck. You're so red. " Jeonghan commented as if he wanted to puke at the sight.  

"Yeah hyung.  It's gross. " Hansol followed suit before earning a handful of joke insults from each of them. 

Seungcheol just rolled his eyes before ducking his head down again. .    
True friends indeed.    
Some friends he has. 

\-----------------------------------------

A/N HAPPY CARAT DAY EVERYONE.  so I've finished this despite having too little time yehey!  We really did the activity in one of my subject so im thankful to my prof because of him I've got a fic idea . Happy Valentines jicheol shippers :) 


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